Signals
Carencro
Lafayette
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs62 · Top 38%
Climate
77 · Top 23%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 21%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs79 · Bottom 48%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs54 · Top 47%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 22%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Carencro | Lafayette | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,619 | 121,715 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,401 | $61,915 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,868 | $40,517 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,479/sq mi | 2,166/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $214,800 | $257,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $944 | $1,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 41.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.5% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.8" | 62.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 21.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.8 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.00 | 18.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.0% | 35.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.4% | 46.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.9% | 63.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Carencro
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Lafayette
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Carencro, LA · Lafayette, LA · How this is calculated: methodology